R. Lee Vail, P.E., Ph.D.

Lee Vail is a partner in the New Orleans office of Kean Miller. He joined the firm in 2010 and practices in the environmental regulatory, Process Safety Management, emergency response, and intellectual property groups. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Louisiana and holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering. Prior to joining Kean Miller, Lee served as Manager of Environmental Affairs for a worldwide oil and gas company.

Lee is also a registered Patent Attorney and is licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Representative Experience

Representation of a major chemical production facility in the management of complex OSHA, EPA, and other administrative agency investigations following an explosion and fire at its Louisiana facility

Representation of a major midstream petroleum company in negotiations with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in reference to a compliance order and notice of penalty

Representation of a major paper company in negotiations with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality in reference to a compliance order and notice of penalty

Representation of a global fertilizer company in the negotiation of an Engineering Services Agreement for Front End Engineering and the Licensing Agreement for necessary technology in connection with a multi-billion dollar Louisiana facility expansion

Successfully appealed previously rejected patent application before the Patent Appeal Board by redrafting rejected claims (prepared by another) and filing a successful Appeal Brief, leading to the issuance of a patent

Successful negotiations on behalf of a pipeline owner before the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, regarding a desired non-applicability determination, i.e., that the product carried by the line would not fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of Conservation. The decision exempted our client from pipeline safety regulations.

Education

Lee earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1978. He earned his M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Tulane University in 1983 and his M.B.A. from the University of New Orleans in 1987. Lee earned his J.D., cum laude, in 2010 from the Loyola University New Orleans College of Law, where he was recognized as a Crowe Scholar. He earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Tulane University in 1990.

We serve the corporate, regulatory, and litigation needs of local, regional, and national clients. From offices in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Houston, Shreveport, and Lake Charles, our lawyers assist clients in a variety of matters in state and federal courts, before regional administrative and regulatory agencies, and in business and corporate transactions of all sizes. We regularly represent clients in legal matters in Louisiana and Texas, specifically Baton Rouge, Greater New Orleans, Houston, Dallas, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Cameron, Lafayette, Alexandria, Monroe, Bossier City, Ruston, New Iberia, Houma, Thibodaux, Covington, Mandeville, Slidell, St. Francisville, Bogalusa, Abbeville, St. Gabriel, and Sulphur.